1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fire sprinkler apparatus for use with a drop ceiling of suspended tile or sheetrock, and more particularly concerns a reducing nipple that may be used in place of the conventional assembly typically used today to connect a branch or run pipe extending horizontally parallel to and positioned above a drop ceiling to a sprinkler head mounted beneath the drop ceiling, said conventional assembly comprising a pipe nipple and a threaded reducer (threaded reducing coupling).
2. Description of the Prior Art
The typical apparatus presently employed by fire sprinkler contractors includes a drop nipple (e.g., a 1 inch pipe nipple) which delivers water from a branch pipe to a sprinkler head that is arranged to fit flush against the underside of a suspended ceiling tile or sheetrock ceiling. The drop nipple is threaded on both ends, with one end screwed into a threaded outlet connection on the branch pipe which runs parallel to the unfinished drop ceiling and is positioned above it. The sprinkler head is mounted on the bottom end of the drop nipple and is arranged to fit flush against the underside of the suspended ceiling tile. This arrangement is labor intensive. The sprinkler installer must make two threaded connections to the drop nipple, one at the top portion of the drop nipple and one at the bottom portion of the drop nipple before the suspended ceiling is installed. Following installation of the suspended tile ceiling by the ceiling installer, the sprinkler installer must return to cut the drop nipple to allow the sprinkler head to fit flush against the underside of the ceiling tiles. Also, many parts are required to complete the typical assembly: i.e., the drop nipple threaded at top and bottom portions; a threaded reducing coupling for reducing the one inch inside diameter of the drop nipple to the one half inch or three quarter inch inside diameter thread on the sprinkler head; a two-piece escutcheon assembly which is mounted on the reducing coupling and which receives the sprinkler head permits the second part of the escutcheon to receive a flanged decorative cover to cover the hole in the ceiling tile, and, of course, the sprinkler head itself.
An assembly comprising a pipe nipple and a threaded reducer (threaded reducing coupling) (such an assembly hereinafter being referred to as a “pipe nipple/threaded reducer assembly” or a “reducing nipple assembly”), such as a 1 inch×½ inch or ¾ inch reducing nipple assembly, is widely used and is considered the standard in fire protection system installations.
Attempts to replace the pipe nipple/threaded reducer assembly in the marketplace have been made. For example, integrated reducing nipples, such as those sold under the trademark “Merit Longneck” and disclosed in Jensen U.S. Pat. No. 6,533,041, which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, and integrated reducing nipples sold under the trademark “Vanderwater Fast Drop”, have been introduced as an alternative to the conventional pipe nipple/threaded reducer assembly. However, such integrated reducing nipples have failed to penetrate the marketplace due to the high market price and high production and material costs of these integrated reducing nipples compared to the lower costing conventional pipe nipple/threaded reducer assembly. Prior reducing nipples also have been known to suffer from poor quality in their inner diameter constructions, in particular, where the threads are located.